Salvaged Pub Culture

While there are more than enough bars and pubs in the Wolverhampton city centre to wet your whistle, these are the ones we recommend because they’re in keeping with the conference theme by recycling old buildings and reclaiming the craft of brewing traditional British ales.

Lych Gate Tavern

The Lych Gate is a real ale pub housed in one of the oldest buildings in the city centre, which is actually a hodgepodge of sixteenth, seventeenth and eighteenth century architecture. It’s a quick minute’s walk from the campus, so this should be your first port of call if you’re on the hunt for a traditional Black Country beer and cosy atmosphere.

This large 19th century traditional city-centre pub specialises in real ales, with eight rotating guest ales (many from local microbreweries), and a traditional cask cider. There’s a full food menu available from 10am–10pm daily, as well as a comfortable beer garden. It’s across the street from the city campus and is quite popular with University staff and students.

Slater’s is new pub located in the old Lipton’s grocery store that serves ten real ales, five of which are from Slater’s Brewery. Also featured on the back wall are nine ‘craft’ keg beers and a draft sparkling wine. The modern minimalist decor suits the old building, and the picture windows upstairs offer great views of passers-by in busy Queen Square—and the “mon on ‘is ‘oss” (trans. “man on his horse”).

A Victorian Grade II-listed city-centre pub that has changed very little since 1900, including the tiled walls, original bar fittings, ornate plasterwork ceilings and snob screens, which are now very rare in British pubs. Serves real ales and real ciders.

The Great Western is a previous CAMRA National Pub of the Year that is located near to the former low-level train station. There’s plenty of historical railway memorabilia on display and cosy real fires blaze in the snug room (let’s hope we won’t need this in July!).

The Clarendon is right next door to the brewery, meaning their pints of Banks’s Bitter and Mild are the freshest you can get! The pub is located close to the city centre in the Chapel Ash area, which is an ever-diversifying cultural zone and home to the Asylum Art Gallery, Eagle Works Artists’ Studios and annual Junction Arts Festival. It’s upstairs billiard’s room was used for many years as the brewery directors board room, but is now visited for it leaded light stained glass and Edwardian detailing. Pub grub is served from noon until 7pm.